Tour and more

Hi lovely humans,

It's been quite the week! I'm writing this from my house in hot London, still buzzing from working on my script all week - its now complete, so next got to learn it and then rehearse in London

What's Really Hitting Me This Week:

You know what's fascinating? The stories are working the best are often the ones that used to make me cringe. The therapy sessions where I ugly-cried. The motorbike moments where I definitely wasn't the cool lesbian I thought I was. The parenting fails that felt massive at the time.

It's got me thinking about vulnerability as a leadership tool (yes, I'm always thinking about leadership—occupational hazard!). In business, we're taught to project confidence, competence, control. But what if our "failures" and fumbles are actually our greatest connection points?

This Week's Musing:

When did we decide that being human was unprofessional?

I've been asking this question in my coaching sessions lately, and the responses are fascinating. So many brilliant leaders are exhausted from performing perfection. They're craving permission to be real, to admit when they don't have all the answers, to lead with their whole selves—messy bits included.

Speaking of Beautiful Chaos:

Full tour details are here: www.emstroud.com

And if you can't make it to a show but want more of these musings, you know where to find me. The Comic Coach Podcast is where I dive deeper into this stuff and definitely more tangents about leadership and authenticity. This week was a fab one with Leila Green.

Random Thought to Leave You With:

What if the thing you're most embarrassed about is actually your greatest strength in disguise? What if your "too much" is exactly what someone else needs to hear?

Just a thought from a woman who makes a living talking about therapy and motorbikes. 😄

Keep being brilliant,

Hugs

Em 🎭

P.S. Seriously though, if you've got a story about a time your vulnerability created unexpected connection, I'd love to hear it. Hit reply—I read every single one and they often inspire my next podcast episode or workshop idea.